Conveyor apparatus



Feb. 23, 1965 c. GAT-ro 3,170,564

coNvEyoR APPARATUS Filed April 2. 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 o 9 D O O I u.

e 9 I N I o O f D o 0 e g u o r 'A o l :e e'

$224 S 3 0 8 8 N w n g a w 'n w N (o Ng Oo In Q QJ 3 L 1 o g -N INVENTOR r Charles Gatto N v ATTORNEY Feb, 23, 1965 c. GATTO 3,70,564

common APPARATUS Filed April 2, 196s s sheets-sheet 2 FIG.2.

INVENTOR Charles Gatto ATTORNEY Feb. 23,I 1965 cyGATTo 3,70,564

coNvEyoR APPARATUS Filed April 2, less v 5 sheets-sheet s United States Patent O 3,170,564 CONVEYOR APPARATUS Charles Gatto, 77 Florida St., Farmingdale, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 269,917

Claims. (Cl. 198-165) Amachinery having features in combination therewith whereby jamming of the machine and/ or damage to the products of extrusion is precluded notwithstanding the existance of irregularities or oversized imperfections in the product itself.

Apparatus of the instant character are presently utilized to the end of conveying products of extrusion, eg., plastic tubing, away from thev extrusion source as said tubing egresses from the mouth of the extrusion machine, this conveying function being essentially directed to the prevention of sagging and distortion which would otherwise occur as the tubingemerges soft, hot and unsupported from said machine. Accordingly, the requirement of means for conveying the extruded product away from the source thereof and on the plane of said source, will be readily appreciated.

Consonant with the foregoing, the instant invention has for an object the provision of a novel apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying 'of eX- trusion products away from the extrusion source.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for `transporting extruded materials between a pair of spaced endless deck conveyors, said apparatus being conveniently capable of handling materials of substantial variation with respect to cross-sectional shape and dimension.

A further object of the present invention isV the provision of an improved apparatus of the foregoing character which will not jam notwithstanding the prevalence of bulk material clinging to the initial run of the extruded product, said bulk materialbeing readily receivable through the conveyor decks of the apparatus.

A still further object of the instant invention Vis the provision of a new and useful conveyor apparatus including means .for resiliently urging the pair of deck conveyor elements thereof toward one another whereby the products of extrusion passing therebetween will be safeguarded against damage.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide simplified means for automatically adjusting the parallel spaced relation of the pair of deck conveyor means thereof to thus compensate for variations of the size of materials passing therebetween.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus including endless deck conveyor means trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, manualV problems.

ther objects and advantages of the'invention will become apparent upon reading the following description ice tagen in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in w ich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the conveyor apparatus according to the present invention, an extruded length of plastic tubing being introduced at the forward end thereof, the base support member and the driving means being shown therein;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the foregoing apparatus; y f

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the upper endless deck conveyor taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlargedfragrnentary side elevation of the forward end ofthe invention illustrating the pivotal feature of the conveyor means, said feature being operative in precluding jamming notwithstanding bulk attached to the initial run of the extruded material; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

It will be understood that the foregoing general objectives and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory but are not' restrictive of the invention. Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 shows the conveyor apparatus designated generally by numeral 1 in operavite position, that is, with a length of tubing 2 being transported thereby.

With reference to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings it will be seen that the essential elements of the invention comprise, in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means shown generally by numerals 2 and 4, respectively, said conveyor means including llexible belts 6 and 8 trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, 10, 12 and 14, 16, respectively, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation.

Elongated supportstructures designated generally by numerals 18 and 20 are positioned longitudinally as shown with respect to said upper and lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled upon shafts 22, said shafts being rotatably supported by said, elongated support structures 13 and 20.- As observed with vreference .to FIGURE 3 of the drawings, said support structures are offset with respect to the lateral edges 24 of said flexible belts 6 and 3 and are spaced therefrom, as shown, said support structures being further aligned with the horizontal axes of said respective conveyor means. Upper elongated support structure 18 as shown in FIGURE 3 will be seen to comprise vertically oriented spaced side-plates being connected by end-plates 30, 32 to form a rearward section designated generally by numeral 34. A forward section designated generally by numeral 36 will be seen to comprise vertically oriented spaced side-plates 38 and 4t), end-plate 42 providing suport at one end, Ithe other end of vsaid forward section being bifurcated `to straddle the sideplates of said rearward section y34 and is pivotally related therewith by pin44 extending through sai-d plates of said sections as shown in the drawings, the pivotal action thus accomplished being in the vertical plane.

Said lower elongated Support structure Ztl is formed of a unitary single section comprised of side-plates and end-plates, `the pivotal feature of the upper structure being absent therefrom.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, yit wil-l be observed that a series of vhorizontally aligned rollers 46 are pivotally connected to said rearward section 34 of said upper support structure 18 by L-shaped crankarms 48, pins 50 providing the said pivotal connection and shafts 52 thereof providing rotatable rollers 46 are disposed transversely of and in engaging relation with the lower horizontal run 54 of belt 6 of said upper conveyor means, said rollers being .in pressing relation with'said run by reason of gravity acting upon the weight ofeachl roller (approximately 11/2 pounds).

f Accordingly, it will be understood that the rollersimpart attributesof Vfirmness and resilience to said conveyor ,means 2,-thus affording certainty of grip with respect to the material passing therebeneathI while also permitting upward movement of vseparate portions of belt 6 in the event of irregularities or abnormally enlarged sections of said extruded material, thus precluding damage to either the conveyor apparatus or to the material itself.

To the end of providing resilient support to upper hori- 66 yprovided peripherally of columns v62 and slidably re-y lated therewith, are biased against stationary vhorizontal bracket-arms. 60 and transverse members 64, to thereby urge said backing-plate toward engaging relation with run 56 to thus resiliently support said belt-8 as said belt moves thereover during the operation of the apparatus.

Withreference to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be seen that vertical'shaft members 68 and 70 mounted upon base support member-,72 are slidingly yand coaxially disposed within guide-sleeves 74, said guide-sleeves being integrally disposedbetween the side-plates of said upper 'and lower elongated support structures as'illustrated.

Hence it will be appreciated that said upper and lower v conveyor means V2 and 4 will be movable in the vertical yplane and will be maintained in respective alignment by Yvirtue of saidvertical shaft members 68 and 70.

To enable regulation of the height of said conveyor means with respect to said base support member and to permit adjustment of the mutually spaced relation of said conveyor means, adjusting means comprised of vertically disposed threaded sup-portmembers 76, '78 and 8?, S2 are provided, said adjusting means being threadedly received 'within internally threaded sleeve nuts 3&1-, said sleeve Vnuts being provided integrally and transversely of said upper l and lower support .structures and vertically aligned" in pairs centrally of the spaced side-plates of said support structures. as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. further observed by reference to said figures, adjustingwheels 86 and 88, coaxially Vconnected at the ends of threaded support members 76 and 80, respectively,`when manually rotated, will through chain linkages 9t'andV 92,'

cause threaded support members 78 and 82 to be rotated concurrently therewith and in the angular directions thereof, respectively. Support members 76, 78,80- and 32, being precluded against vertical movement by reason lof `base support member 72 upon which support members 76 and 78 rest and through which support :members 3 0 and 82 are rotatably held by collars 9421s shown in'FIG# URE 2, willfoccasion the'upward and downward movej ment of said upper and lower support structures as saidA support members are revolvedwithin said sleeve nuts S4. Accordingly, predeterminationof the level of said respective conveyor means with respectto the level of exrusion product feed lil() (seeFIGURE l)` and the rela; tive -spacing therebetween may be accomplished by manipulation of adjusting-wheels 86 and 83 as'described'.

The pivotal action of said-forward lsection `36 as related to said rearward section 34 ofsaid upper support structure 18 ismore particularly illustrated in the enlargedl fragmentary elevation view of FIGURE 4 of the drawings wherein extrudedtubing HB2 having the bulk of excess As will be preliminary plastic material '104 at the beginning 106 thereof` is seen passing between upper and lower conveyor means .2 and 4 of the conveyor apparatus. .Itlwill be observed that the solid line representation of saidV forward section 36a and rotable drum 12a have pivoted aboutpin 44 and are at an angle withirespect to said lower support structure 20, thus forming an enlarged'entrance area at the forward end of said. conveyor means whereby the extruded tubing 02 .is` permitted to pass through the, conveyor system, jammingof the apparatus and the consequent problems thereof being avoided; damage to the ex- 'ruded material also being avoided:

With further'reference Vto FGURE v4, it willV be seen thatk rotatable ydrum 16 is positionable at various distances of the forward end of lower'supportstructure 20.' That is, shaft 22 upon which -said drum is rotatablyk journalled, is slidable within slot 19S provided asrshown within said support structure, adjusting set screws .11d being adapted to move said rotatable drum towardthe forward end of said support structure. Compression springlZ, located within said slot NS and disposed between the forward end of ysaid support structure and said rotatable drum, normally biases said drum in the direction of said set screws 116. Accordingly, it will ybe appreciated thatmovement of said rotatable drum toward the forwardend ofsaid support vstructure against the opposing force. of spring `112 will lresult in the elimination of slack in said fexible belt-S to maintain the tautness thereof as desired. Y Itgwill be appreciated that belt 6 of said upper conveyor means 2 may beV Ytightened or slackened as required by turning adjusting screws lid whereby movement of rotatable drum l2 within'aslot (not shown) in forward section 36 may be effectuated. Y

An alternate embodiment 4of the present invention as illustrated in FlGURE 5 of the drawings, includes in substance those features described herein above with respectY ,to the preferred embodiment shownV inv-FlGURES 1-3,

,lower conveyor means 116 of said alternateernbodiment, however, beingriixedly `positived with respect'to` base supportn'iember lid, rotatable drums 129,122 thereof being journalled within bearing blocks 124 and126, respectively. vA further modification included in said alternate embodiment resides inthe manner in whichthezupper conveyof meanslZ thereof is supported above said lower conveyor means M6 in parallel, .spaced relationtherewith. That is, vertically disposed adjusting screw 139 threadedly connected to elongated support structure vlt3r2 atY threaded sleeve nut EL34 supports said elongated support structure by reason of end 134 standing upon base'support'mem'oer llin removable contact therewith. As disclosed with respect to the `preferred embodiment of the invention, verticallydisposed shaft members 136 and i3d-which are lixedly connected to said base support member 118 at their Vrespective lowerends are slidingly connected to said elonn gated support structure-132 through guide sleeves i4@ and Y142, respectively.

Hence, rotation of adjusting wheel VMid will raise or lower said upper conveyor means 12S to thereby accomplishregulation of the spacing between said upper and lower conveyor means in accordance with the'cross sectional dimension of the extrusion product. In the event said extrusion product lacks uniformity of crosssection or .is possessed of excess bulli material attached to the beginning thereof as herein described and shownwith reference to FIGURE 4, said adjusting screw y'ltllandupper conveyor means 128 will automatically be lifted'away from said lower conveyor means -li6, said movement `being suflicient to Vcopensate for the oversized material j passing through said apparatus,` this safety feature being in addition to the pivotal varrangement of forward section 146 about pin 148 as disclosed'and described heretofore, with respect to thepreferred embodiment. j

Electric motor 150 (FIGUREI) mounted upon frame Av:lrSZLof the. conveyor apparatus 1 constitutes-thedriving ineans provided to drive the upper and lowerendless deck conveyor means 2 and 4. As partially shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, chain 154 links said motor and said rotatable drum 14 in drawing relation, chain 156 extending from rotatable drum 14 to rotatable drum 10 being further effective in rotating the latter, to thus cause movement of upper and lower flexible belt 6 and S in the directions of arrows 158 and 160, respectively.

Both the structural and operational characteristics of the invention having been described, it will be understood that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts from that disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof, provided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claims, appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusion source, comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means' respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an upper and lower elongated support structure positioned longitudinally of said upper and lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled at the rearward and forward ends of said elongated support structures, said upper support structure being formed of rearward and forward sections, said sections being pivotally connected, a series of horizontally aligned rotatable rollers pivotably connected to said rearward section of said upper support structure said rotatable rollers being arranged above the engaging the lower horizontal run of said upper conveyor means, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

'2. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusion source, comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an upper and lower elongated support structure positioned longitudinally of said upper Vand lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled at the rearward and forward ends of said elongated support structures, said upper support structure being formed of rearward and forward sections, said sections being pivotally related, a backing plate resiliently connected to said lower support structure and perpendicularly disposed with respect thereto, said backing plate being arranged beneath and slfidably engaging the upper horizontal run of said lower conveyor means, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

3. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusion source, comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an upper and lower elongated support structure positioned longitudinally of said upper and lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled at the rearward and forward ends o-f said elongated support structures, said upper support structure being formed of rearward and forward sections, said sections being pivotally related, adjusting means associated with said upper and lower conveyor means, said adjusting means being adapted for prepositioning the relative space between said upper and lower conveyor means, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

4. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusion source comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an upper and lower elongated support structure positioned longitudinally of said upper and lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled at the rearward and forward ends of said elongated support structures, said upper support structure being formed of rearward and forward sections, said sections being pivotally related, at least one vertically disposed shaft member slidingly connectedto said upper and lower support structures, said at least one shaft member being adapted to support said upper and lower conveyor means in vertically aligned relation, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

5. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusion source, comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an upper and lower elongated support structure positioned longitudinally of said upper and lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled at the rearward andV forward ends of said elongated support structures, said upper support structure being formed of rearward and forward sections, said sections being pivotally related, adjusting means associated with said upper and lower conveyor means, said adjusting means being adapted for pre-positioning the relative space between said upper and lower conveyor means, at least one vertically disposed shaft member slidingly connected to said upper and lower support structures, said at least one shaft member being adapted to support said upper and lower conveyor means in vertically aligned relation, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

6. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusion source, comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an upper and lower elongated support structure positioned longitudinally of said upper and lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled at the rearward and forward ends of said elongated support structures, said upper support structure being formed of rearward and forward sections, said forward section being shorter in length than said rearward section, said forward and rearward sections being pivotally connected to permit pivoting of said forward section in the vertical plane, a series of horizontally aligned rollers pivotally connected to said rearward section of said upper support structure, said rollers being arranged above and engaging the lower horizontal run of said upper conveyor means, a backing-plate resiliently connected to said lower support structure and perpendicularly disposed with respect thereto, said backing plate being arranged beneath and slidably engaging the upper horizontal run of said lower conveyor means, adjusting means associated with said upper and lower conveyor means, said adjusting means being adapted for prepositioning the relative space between said upper and lower conveyor means, at least one vertically disposed shaft member slidingly connected to said upper and lower support structures, said at least one shaft member being adapted to support said upper and lower conveyor means in vertically aligned relation, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

7. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusion source, comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an upper and lower elongated support vstructure positioned longitudinally of said'u'pper and lower conveyor means, respectively, said rotatable drums being journalled at `the rearward and for- Ward endsk of said elongated support structures, one of said support structures being formed of rearward and forward sections, said sections being -pivotally connected, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

8. Apparatus fory facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away from the extrusionsource, comprising in combination, a base `support member, upper'and lower elongated endless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantiallyk parallel relation, an elongated support structure positioned longitudinally of said upper conveyor means, the rotatable drums associated'with'said upper conveyor means being journalled at the rearward and forward ends of said elongated support structure, the vrotatable drums associatedwithv said lower conveyor beingfrotatablyl supported by said base supportmember, at least yone vertically disposed shaft member slidingly connected to said elongated support structure, a vertically disposed adjusting screw threadedly connected to said elongated support structure, one end of said 'at least one vertically disposed shaft member being vxedly connected to said base support member, one end of said vertically disposed adjusting screw being in removablecontact with said base support member, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

9. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveying of extrusion products away fromthe extrusion source, comprising in combination, upper and lower elongated endless deck conveying means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, said upper and` veyor means, a backing plate resiliently connected to said lower support structure and .perpendicularly disposed with respect thereto, said backing plate beingA arranged be yveyor means, at least one vertically disposed shaft member slidingly connected to said upper and lower support structures, said atleast one shaft member being adapted to support said upper and lower conveyor means in vertically aligned relation, and driving means associated with at least one said rotatable drum.

li). Apparatus for facilitating the handling and conveyingy of extrusion products away from the extrusion source, comprising in combination, a base support member, upper and lower elongatedendless deck conveyor means respectively trained about rearward and forward rotatable drums, saidupper and lower conveyor means being disposed in spaced, superposed, substantially parallel relation, an elongated supportstructnre positioned longitudinally of said upper conveyor means, the rotatable drums associated with said upper conveyor means being journalled at the rearward and forward ends ofk said elongated support structure, the rotatable drums associated with said lower conveyor means `being rotatably supported by said base support member, at least one'vertically disposed shaft member slidingly connected to said elongated support structure, a vertically disposed adjusting screw threadedly connected to said elongatedV support structure, one end of said at least one vertically disposedshaft member being xedly connected to said base support member, one end of said vertically disposed adjusting screw being in removable contact with said base support member, ,a series of `horizontally aligned rollers pivotally connected to said VVelongated vsupport structure, said rollers being arranged above and engaging the lower horizontal run of said upper conveyor means, and driving means associated withv at least one said rotatable drum;

References Cited bythe-Examiner f UNITED STATESPATENTS 10/59 France.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. Y WILLIAM B. LA BORDE, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE HANDLING AND CONVEYING OF EXTRUSION PRODUCTS AWAY FROM THE EXTRUSION SOURCE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, UPPER AND LOWER ELONGATED ENDLESS DECK CONVEYOR MEANS RESPECTIVELY TRAINED ABOUT REARWARD AND FORWARD ROTATABLE DRUMS, SAID UPPER AND LOWER CONVEYOR MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN SPACED, SUPERPOSED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION, AN UPPER AND LOWER ELONGATED SUPPORT STRUCTURE POSITIONED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER CONVEYOR MEANS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID ROTATABLE DRUMS BEING JOURNALLED AT THE REARWARD AND FORWARD ENDS OF SAID ELONGATED SUPPORT STRUCTURES, SAID UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE BEING FORMED OF REARWARD AND FORWARD SECTIONS, SAID SECTIONS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED, A SERIES OF HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED ROTATABLE ROLLERS PIVOTABLY CONNECTED TO SAID REARWARD SECTION OF SAID UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE SAID ROTATABLE ROLLERS BEING ARRANGED ABOVE THE ENGAGING THE LOWER HORIZONTAL RUN OF SAID UPPER CONVEYOR MEANS, AND DRIVING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH AT LEAST ONE SAID ROTATABLE DRUM. 